In the early 1900’s barbery was an art and barbershops were opulent. Barbers were still considered professional men to be respected in society, but still not to the degree that they were before then. ‘The Barber’s Manual’ by A.B. Moler, published in 1886, explains how, in ancient times, barbers were the foremost men of their tribes. People were superstitious about their hair, believing spirits entered and exited through their manes, so barbers were perceived as medicine men who could banish bad spirits by giving a good haircut.

In Egypt, Before Christ - so the story goes - a barber was sent to shave Joseph’s face before he met with Pharoah so the king wouldn’t be offended by a “dirty” face. And, in the third Century, Alexander the Great ordered his soldiers to be clean-shaven so they couldn’t be pulled to the ground by their beards and speared to death.

All this before shaving even became a fashion, which eventually happened in Rome when barbershops became hubs for men to exchange news and a boy’s first shave became his official foray into manhood. Julius Caesar, the Roman Empire’s chief executive officer, was notoriously clean-shaven.

Barbery ultimately became an essential service during the Roaring Twenties, when families moved from farms to cities and men began working in office spaces. A need for speed brought “The Terminal Method’, or the quick shave movement born out of train-station barber shops that would shave men clean on the fly. Being the booming time for business that it was, the ‘20s also bore the first patents for disposable razors by both Schick and Gillette.

Without discrediting the convenience of an at-home shave, the emergence of two-blades affixed to a plastic handle may have contributed to the decline in the art of barbery. And it is an art! Performing a straight-blade shave is not for the faint of heart. From which razor to choose (Jones Bros. offered dozens including “Money Maker”, “The Demon” and “Canuck”), how to treat the skin, and effectively remove hair without harm is a definitive skill.

The Barber’s Manual lists numerous solid tips: “Hold the razor loosely in the right hand with the handle between the little and third finger; the length of strokes should be from 8 inches to a foot-long glide across the skin; muscle control is acquired by continual practice!” And, on dipping your badger-hair brush in shave cream instead of your hands, “too many fingers in the froth spoils the broth”.

Fret not, modern men, the art of shaving is not all lost. In fact, it is once again a rising trend.

Bridging the old and new schools of barbery is Pamela Hackwell, resident hairstylist and luxury wet-shave artist at Gotstyle in Toronto. The first thing you notice when you walk into her space are the two aqua blue chairs reminiscent of those described in the Jones Bros’ booklet. Beyond those, though, Pamela only borrows one trick from the old-school: time.

“Most men - especially in the urban core - are under time constraints”, laments Pamela. However, time is what most positively affects a successful shave and a clear complexion. She spends about 45 minutes with each man. “I slow my vibe down so he can become more relaxed; it’s much better, and I want it to be a luxury experience.”

Besides, skin prep is the most important aspect of a shave - razor burn, bleeding and ingrown hairs are most often the results of a quick dry-shave. Pamela uses aromatherapy in her towels, eye patches to soothe the delicate eye area, and her own line of certified organic creams and oils to treat the skin before her blade emerges.

A common misnomer among men with bumpy complexions is that they’ve produced pimples from too-oily skin. The opposite is true: their skin cells are over-producing oil to protect in the absence of sufficient hydration. “The biggest thing that would eliminate so many problems for men is a simple moisturizer, applied twice per day to their face, whether they have beard hair or not.” Hydration will soften the stubble and nourish skin cells, which will prevent ingrown hairs.

Men who aren’t in the vicinity of Pamela or a quality barbershop can employ her tips:

1. Lay a steamed towel over your face prior to shaving to open pores so that hair will extract more easily.

2. Steam your shave cream - the heat will assist the product in getting beneath the hair cuticle so stubble can lift easily.

3. Shave only the direction of your hair - not simply down on your face and up on your neck - because every man’s hair grows in differently.

4. After your shave and a fresh layer of moisturizer has been massaged into your skin, apply a cool towel to close pores and lock moisture in.

5. If you have a full beard, condition it in the shower the same as you do your head of hair - beards prevent moisture from reaching the surface of your skin, so you need to hydrate proactively.

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